Exclusive: Colin Farrell on the Remakes of TOTAL RECALL and FRIGHT NIGHT

Earlier today I got to sit down with Colin Farrell to talk about Peter Weir’s great new movie The Way Back. Set in World War II, the film tells the true story of a group of soldiers who escape from a Siberian prison and journey across the harsh Asian terrain in order to reach British India. The film also stars Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Mark Strong, and Saoirse Ronan. In the coming weeks, you can expect video interviews with a lot of the cast and director Peter Weir.

However, towards the end of the interview, I decided to ask Farrell about those Total Recall rumors (he might be the lead in the remake) and what can he tell people about the remake of Fright Night. Thankfully, he was more than happy to talk and if you hit the jump you can either read or watch what he had to say:

Regarding Total Recall, Farrell says the “script is cool. Script is smart.” I then asked him if it’s actiony? His response was:

“There’s a good bit of action. I don’t know that it’s… it kind of sits on the fence in a really good way. It kind of sticks to one half or the other. It’s clever. It’s clever and it’s well written. And there’s loads of action. I saw some of pre-visualizations already, that have been done for the world that they’re going to create and it’s wicked man. It’s the first time in years where I went, ‘Wowww, I could be part of that? In that frame?’ It’s gone back to the original. Am I definitely doing that, are you going to ask? I dunno. I dunno.”

Finally, I tried to pin down if he’s definitely doing it. He said:

“I’d like to. I just don’t know. I’m not sure. I haven’t been home for Christmas. I haven’t made the required calls. I don’t know. I think, maybe.”

Sounds to me like they are trying to work out the contract but nothing has been signed yet.

And for those wondering about Fright Night, Farrell told me he didn’t want to like the script and he wanted to make fun of Hollywood for remaking it. But after reading the script, that changed his mind. He said:

“I didn’t want to like it when I read it. I really didn’t. Cause I wanted to be able to go, “what they’re remaking Fright Night…Hollywood.” So I read it and I liked it. So fuck it, I’m going to go to work. And I’d seen Lars and the Real Girl and really liked that. The cast was incredible in it. So…entertainment. If it’s not that than it’s not…but it’s not in competition with the original. It doesn’t negate the existence of the original. The original is still around. It might find a new audience. If it’s not an hour and fifty minutes of entertainment than we screwed up.”

Here’s the part of the interview where we talk about Total Recall and Fright Night. Below the video is the full transcript.

Finally, while I was only scheduled for a 4 minute interview, Farrell and I spoke for almost 7 minutes. That’s the reason I was able to get so much info on these two projects. Needless to say, a huge thank you to Mr. Farrell for giving me so much time and answering all my fanboy questions.

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There are a lot of rumors about you doing Total Recall.

Farrell: Yea. You’re a big film fan. What do you make of that?

I love the original.

Farrell: Yeah, same here.

I’m curious about a remake.

Farrell: Same here. And look, I got to be curious every time I go to work. And if I or any actors had a formula for what was going to be artistically successful or financially and commercially successful and all those things, we’d all score out of the ballpark critically and out of the ballpark financially every time. Or at least you’d choose one and you’d be cognizant of which one you’re choosing and you’d be a success at that of the two. There’s no formula. I’m curious every time I go to work. I’m curious to go to work on Total Recall as well. Script is cool. Script is smart.

Is it actiony?

Farrell: There’s a good bit of action. I don’t know that it’s… it kind of sits on the fence in a really good way. It kind of sticks to one half or the other. It’s clever. It’s clever and it’s well written. And there’s loads of action. I saw some of pre-visualizations already, that have been done for the world that they’re going to create and it’s wicked man. It’s the first time in years where I went, ‘Wowww, I could be part of that? In that frame?’ It’s gone back to the original. Am I definitely doing that, are you going to ask? I dunno. I dunno.

So you’re on the fence?

Farrell: I’d like to. I just don’t know. I’m not sure. I haven’t been home for Christmas. I haven’t made the required calls. I don’t know. I think, maybe.

What can you tell fans about Fright Night?

Farrell: What can I tell them about Fright Night? Did you visit the set?

I did.

Farrell: We talked.

I’m under embargo still.

Farrell: So am I! So I have to break down the validity of the remake. Come on! Oh man…I hope it’s entertaining. That’s all. I want to be very cautious that I don’t get in the realm of disclaimer and I don’t get in the realm of apology and that stuff cause it’s easy to do when your ego tells you anything that is a remake lacks originality enough to make them cool. I don’t know. I didn’t want to like it when I read it. I really didn’t. Cause I wanted to be able to go, “what they’re remaking Fright Night…Hollywood.” So I read it and I liked it. So fuck it, I’m going to go to work. And I’d seen Lars and the Real Girl and really liked that. The cast was incredible in it. So…entertainment. If it’s not that than it’s not…but it’s not in competition with the original. It doesn’t negate the existence of the original. The original is still around. It might find a new audience. If it’s not an hour and fifty minutes of entertainment than we screwed up.